To secure financing for renewable energy projects, developers must find investors willing to manage a suite of technological, financial and political risks.
Most technologies in renewable energy are relatively new and untested. On top of that, competition from markets with lower manufacturing costs is pressuring solar panel and wind turbine manufacturing, and fluctuating agricultural and transport fuel prices are adding uncertainty to investments in biofuels. Keep reading →
Solyndra says needs more time to find buyers — http://reut.rs/oNQ5x5 — #Solyndra #solar @nicholagroom
What to do when the wind stops blowing at Western Wind Energy’s newest Arizona power plant? Hope the sun is shining.
On Friday, the Vancouver-based renewable energy company began operating its newest 10.5 MW combined wind/solar project in Kingman, Arizona. Though various wind-firming gas plants already exist in the United States, this plant is the first wind-solar plant on the continent that does not use any gas. Keep reading →
Led by Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment, the US Army has been revamping its energy policy over the last few months.
So when funds ran dry, the army realized it had the choice to either hold off its efforts or look elsewhere for help. On Thursday, Hammack told an Energy Initiatives Task Force Roundtable that the army would be choosing the latter: it is now seeking $7.1 million in private sector investment to develop utility-scale renewable projects that will feed the army 2.1 million MWh of electricity.
“We are all aware of budget challenges we are facing today,” Hammack said. Renewable energy, though, she explained, is a critical piece of army security and cannot simply be abandoned because of budget difficulties.
Keep reading →
Though its tempting for regulators and politicians in Washington to throw money at energy alternatives that steer the country away from classic fossil fuels and dependence on Middle Eastern oil, environmentalists and industry-insiders are increasingly worried about some of the touted alternatives.
Natural gas, originally introduced to as a cleaner greener gas, is now the subject of heated debate particularly because of the way it is extracted from the ground, in a process of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.” Watch an industry video on how fracking works: Part 1 and Part 2. Keep reading →
The controversial Energy Department loan program that backed a now-bankrupt solar panel maker could nearly double in size by the month’s end.
The Department of Energy has until Sept. 30 to give 14 companies final approval for loan guarantees totaling over $9 billion. Keep reading →
For all the discussion of federal incentives for renewable energy and the push, both in the Obama Administration and at regulatory bodies, for policies that can accommodate renewable energy generation, actual implementation remains a very local affair.
Some states are blessed with huge resources, whether hydropower in the Northwestern US, or wind sweeping across Texas plains. Even where resources are plentiful, though, earlier analysis from AOL Energy showed the importance of a conducive regulatory climate as well. See our earlier AOL Energy infographic: At The State Level, The National Energy Future. Keep reading →
Big one for big solar: DOE provides $1.2 B loan guarantee for Mojave concentrating solar project http://1.usa.gov/ndK9gD @mlamonica
The upcoming football season is looking sunny for the Washington Redskins’ stadium. Keep reading →
The solar industry is changing as it grows, providing a rare opportunity to see an evolving market at work.
For those firms facing bankruptcies and operational problems, the change can seem daunting, but for firms backed by significant balance sheets and buoyed by robust development pipelines, the changes only highlight the opportunities. Keep reading →
